Even
though the AMD market is on the cusp of a complete and total shift to the
Athlon64 processor, there are still millions and millions of overheating
AthlonXP processors out there that need better cooling. Arkua
heatsinks are long familiar with FrostyTech, and through the many different
models we have reviewed, performance has been pretty reliable.

Arkua has tried different sized fans, and added
copper slugs to the center of their heatsinks, but the coolers have never really
made the leap to the performance section - which is fine. There are a great many
PCs out there that simply need a good heatsink, and the Arkua 728M-7N01 is one
such candidate.

The Arkua 728M-7N01
is an extruded aluminum heatsink with a 19mm diameter copper slug
running through the core. The copper center provides
a more thermally conductive material to better disperse the thermal energy absorbed from
the processor to the surrounding aluminum fins which radiate out
from the center.

The top
of the copper slug is exposed, but is below
part of the clip assembly so all the cooling is accomplished by the aluminum
fins. The clip is designed in such a way that the force is
applied directly to the center of the processor core. Earlier heatsinks
applied the force to the center of the
heatsink body instead.

The extrusion pattern Arkua employ has several benefits that typical impingement heatsinks lack;
the most significant of which is the benefit of exhaust airflow
to further cooler the processor directly. The aluminum fins are rather
thick be necessity, but the surface is rippled to help introduce turbulence
into the system.

At the very bottom of the heatsink, the copper core lies
protected with a metallic thermal interface pad - what material this is we're
not 100% certain
however.